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Letters: 10/18/07

Posted on October 18, 2007 by Staff

Safety first
It seems to me that there are more and more people riding bicycles in Carrboro who are not wearing helmets. I find this trend disturbing. Helmets can protect bicyclists from injury and death. Two-thirds of bicycle related deaths are due to traumatic brain injury. A very high percentage of traumatic brain injury can be prevented by simply wearing a helmet. Helmets are cheap. There are several great bicycle shops in town which sell helmets. I realize that helmets are optional but I am very concerned that our youngest citizens are witnessing this practice of not wearing helmets and translating helmets as not being important. Please wear your helmet.
Janice K. Wereszczak

SCHIP blues
It is indeed a sad day when the profits of tobacco companies are deemed more important than the health of our nation’s children.

Overstated?

Not really.

Last week, the president refused to okay a Congress-approved expansion of [the State Children’s Health Insurance Program], and in doing so made a statement about the value he places on the health of our nation’s most vulnerable children. Interesting, coming from a person whose presidential family benefits from the finest socialized health care that money can buy, funded by our tax dollars. Also interesting coming from a person who will fight to the end for fetus’ right to be born, yet will show crass indifference to these same children once they are born.

The good news is that we, the voters, have the power to lend our voices to the growing support of medical and citizens groups around the nation to gain the added votes needed to override the president’s mighty “slip of the pen.”

Before Thursday of next week, when the U.S. House of Representatives votes again on the bill, we need to let folks like Bob Etheridge and Mike McIntrye, two NC Democrats in the house who voted “no” to SCHIP, know that tobacco-state or not, North Carolinians stand for children. I urge my neighbors to pick up a phone and call these congressmen to voice our opinion. I have found www.familiesusa.org to be quite helpful in providing information and points of action. The other option – keeping silent – could prove costly to the children of this nation.
Anthony Fleg

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